NZ Green Shield Bug
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Infraorder: Pentatomomorpha
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea
Family: Pentatomidae
Scientific name: Glaucias amyoti
Common name: New Zealand Shield Bug
Glaucias amyoti is a native shield bug is found throughout the New Zealand. It is also present in Australia and the islands of Timor and New Guinea. Several shield bugs that look similar to the NZ green shield bug. The commonest is the Green Vegetable Bug, Nezara viridula who's adults have three white spots in a line between the wing insertions.
The Pentatomidae are often called stink bugs because when handled they emit a strong smell. The nymphs have prominent glands on the upper (dorsal) side of their abdomen, while adults have glands between the base of their legs. The chemicals may deter predators and cause other bugs to drop to the ground, but some of the chemicals produced may also act as aggregation pheromones.
The insect over winters as adults that hide among tree and shrub leaves, but may be seen basking in the sun. Adults appear gather in suitable over wintering sites and on plants for breeding. They are probably attracted to each other by an aggregation pheromone.
Breeding usually occurs on plants with berries or fruit/seed heads. In late spring and summer eggs are laid in cluster of up to 14. Nymphs hatch from the eggs. The first instar nymphs are like small, black, wingless adults.
There are five nymphal stages, each is called an instar. Nymphs go from one stage to the next by moulting, changing their skin. During moulting the skin on the dorsal side splits and the next stage pulls itself out of the old skin. As the insects progress through the nymphal stages their colour changes from black to mostly green. In the later instars the colour can vary from dark to green. Small wing buds can be seen on fourth instar nymphs. They are larger and more obvious on fifth instar nymphs. Adults emerge from fifth instar nymphs. Early in summer new eggs may be laid, but egg laying ceases in late summer. Fifth instar nymphs may be present until late April.
Host plants include a variety of native and naturalised trees and shrubs. Adults and juveniles feed by inserting a stylet into the plant and sucking plant sap and berries. Sometimes they may also be predaceous.
Their main native host plants are Mamangi (Coprosma arborea) and Karamu, (Coprosma lucida) Information.
Source www.landcareresearch.co.nz
Photographed on a cabbage tree leave basking in the sun
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